Multiple addresses within an Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) area can be aggregated and advertised together to other areas. This process is known as address aggregation and is used to reduce router computational overheads and memory requirements and to reduce the network bandwidth consumed by OSPF messages. However, the downside of address aggregation is that it leads to information loss and consequently sub-optimal (non-shortest path) routing of data packets. The resulting difference (path selection error) between the length of the actual forwarding path and the shortest path varies between different sources and destinations.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus that generate the minimum number of aggregates subject to a maximum allowed path selection error.